Guns and Arrows
by Caryl4ever
Summary: This is one that I've been working on for a long time and its long. I gave Daryl a little sister. It has a couple of flashbacks. And its more of a journey with the Dixons. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

Carol found a book...It wasn't the kind of book she thought it was going to be. It was a diary, it was the only thing there. And she wanted to know what life was before the world ended. She remembered it well, but she wanted a glimpse of life with no abuse. She read the first page.

* * *

_I held my baby in my arms. I was waiting for Daryl to get back and beat me to a bloody pulp. I feared for the baby. My baby, there was a resemblence. I named him after my sister. Not her name, but that one rare name that she found so cute. Daryl would be mad that he wasn't named after him. Merle, my baby boy. Daryl came in, in a drunk rage. I held him tighter, so tight he started to cry. I didn't want Daryl to hurt him. My hand hovered over his face._

_"You didn't do it, did you?"_

_"No, my sister"_

_"Shut the fuck up"_

_Then, thank god, he left the room._

* * *

Carol understood who's diary she was reading. She peeled the tattered page that was stuck to the cover. Then she knew she was right. The page said:

_This is the diary of Josephine Lisa Dixon_

Then she read the last line of that same entry.

* * *

_I didn't hold anyone like that again for twelve years._

* * *

She flipped through the book, remembering that Daryl and Merle were twelve years apart. Daryl was ten years apart from Sedey. Then Carol found another entry that started almost the same way.

* * *

_Merle was sitting in the corner. His eyes were wandering. Those eyes. Just like his father's. He was gonna get mad if Daryl didn't look like him, he just didn't notice just how much Merle looked like him. Me and Merle made a plan that we won't tell Daryl he was named after his father. We'll tell him his name was Dale or David. That he only go the same letter. He came in._

_"Well?"_

_"His name is Daryl"_

_Merle's eyes were carefully following him._

_"Well...good"_

_He raised his hand and formed a fist. My hand hovered over Daryl's face, just like it did for Merle. Then Merle came up from behind him and locked his arms behind his back. He struggled then threw Merle off of him. He glared at him. Then he just walked away._

_Then a little while later...I could swear that I fell asleep with Daryl in my arms. I heard whispers. I shifted my head just so I could see Merle, but he couldn't see my open eyes. He had Dary in his arms. He was whispering to him._

_"Don't be scared of her, baby brother, she was only putting her hand over your face to protect you from our daddy, he's an ass"_

_I got much more used to hearing Merle swear. It didn't make me cringe anymore. _

_"He hits me and I'm not gonna lie, baby brother, he'll probably gonna hit you too"_

_It took me a minute to hold back my tears._

_"But, I'll try not to let him get to you. Thats what I'm here for. But mom's here too, she'll always be here for us. I'm not kidding either, she told me when I was six"_

_He remembered me tell him that, I had to try not to listen anymore or I would start crying and he would know that I was listenning. _

_"I am my brothers keeper"_

_And I swear that I saw him kiss Daryl on the head. Merle had a soft spot for Daryl. And thats about when I fell asleep._

* * *

Carol was holding back tears of her own. She really wanted someone to talk to, to hug. Carl and Sophia were out playing with Glenn and didn't want to disturb them. But she at least needed Daryl. She went to the back of the house, into the forest and looked for him.


	2. Chapter 2

Daryl walked around softly trying to find some squirrels. He had noticed Sophia, skinny as ever because of the lack of food. He pulled up his crossbow and was ready to shoot, just like he did when there were walkers after Sophia.

* * *

Rick had been gone for a while. Carol was sobbing uncontrollably. Daryl couldn't take it anymore. So he grabbed his crossbow and snuck away. No one saw him go. Rick had already lead away the walkers chasing Sophia. But more came around. He was looking everywhere possible for her. Then he heard a scream a little to his left. He ran over to where the scream lead him...Right in front of her. He shot the walkers behind her. Right when she saw him she dove into his arms. She was holding onto him tightly. He pulled her away and got on his knees to face her.

"You bit?"

She didn't answer. She looked away. Daryl turned her face towards him.

"Listen! If you bit you gotta tell me! K? Now are you bit?"

She just looked at him

"Shit"

He spun her around and looked her over then he lifted the back of her shirt. She pulled it down. He didn't see any bites. He threw his crossbow back over his shoulder.

He caught his breath "You're alright" He clapped her on the shoulder "C'mon"

She just stood there, shocked. She whispered "What about Rick?"

"Only two walkers, he can handle it"

She still just stood there "Sophia?"

Her eyes got watery, he could tell she was scared "C'mere"

She obeyed and walked over to him and he picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. Like he used to do when Merle would pick him up when he was little. He walked back with her still in his arms. It was almost dark. Since no one saw that he left, no one knew he was gone. Or that he came back. Carol was looking where Rick left. He came up behind her.

"Carol?"

She turned around "Oh my god! I...I..."

"Here, she's alright"

She took Sophia and sat on the ground with her. "Daryl?"

He turned around, he was crying, then she swallowed hard "Thank you" and she smiled

He nodded to her then went into the RV to get some sleep. About a week later Sophia started calling him daddy.

* * *

Carol was in the forest. She was crying now, she didn't know why, she just was. She was trying to find Daryl. She wasn't having muck luck though. She gave up looking "Daryl!" She heard movement not too far away "Daryl?" Then she saw him with his arms outstretched to her.

* * *

He was ready to shoot the squirrel when all of a sudden he heard it.

"Daryl!"

Carol, Carol was calling him. She was hurt. He jerked the crossbow down and she must've heard it.

"Daryl?"

He turned to her and reached his arms out to her. She ran into them, then she pulled herself back out. Her hands slid off of his shoulders onto his forearms.

"Where'd that son of a bitch bite you?!"

He raised his crossbow and looked around. She nodded her head.

"What the hell do you mean no!"

"No, I'm not bit"

He lowered the crossbow "Well then what the hell, Carol?"

She held back more tears "I am...so...sorry"

He got confused "What for?"

She looked at him "For your childhood"

He smiled, trying not to laugh "What the hell?"

"In your room"

"How'd you know it was my room?"

"The wallpaper peeled"

"Well that shows it's mine don't it" he smiled

"Well there was a book in it"

"So?"

"It was your mom's diary"


	3. Chapter 3

Sedey remembered the day. Though it was months ago. It felt so recent. She got left on the roof with Merle. Watched him cut off his own hand. Held the door shut from the walkers. Left the baby sister necklace for Daryl, even thought she wasn't sure he would even come back.

Andrea, T-dog, Morales, Sedey, and Merle on the roof. Sedey was sitting on the pippe that Merle was stuck to. They saw Rick and Glenn leaving.

"No, no, no, no!" She jumped to the edge of the roof "Get back here you son of a bitch! You got the goddamned key!"

She gestured to the whining Merle. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw T-dog holding up a tiny key. The key. Sedey pounced at him. But he was holding onto it really tight

"Let it go you fucking piece of shit!"

Andrea pulled her off of T-dog and she sat next to Merle on the ground.

"Don't rough-house my baby sister, bitch!"

She glared at him before they all ran since Rick was coming back. T-dog got up to leave. Merle flipped out.

"Don't let him leave, Sedey!"

He almost stopped, "Come on man, don't leave me, it aint human! It aint human, you aint human Dog!"

Then he turned around with the key.

"Good boy!" She chased him back to Merl. Then he tripped, the key flew into the air. All three of them dove for it. It fell down the drain. They all sat there in shock. Then Sedey jumped on T-dog.

"You dick!" She got up and kicked the pipe. He got up and ran to the door. Then he just sat there holding it open. Sedey just stood there.

"Sedey come!"

Merle yelled to her "Sedey go! Go back to Daryl!"

She choked up at the fact of Daryl. T-dog yelled back to her.

"Sedey!"

She turned to face him "This is your fault!" She was pointing at Merle "I aint leavin' my brother! I'll never leave!"

She walked over to Merle then turned back to T-dog "Tell Daryl we love him"

She sat down next to him and he wrapped his arm around her. They heard walkers.

"Hand me that saw and then go lean on the door"

She tossed the saw over to him and then went to go lean on the door like he said. He started cutting. But Sedey thought he was gonna cut the chain. He started cutting off his own hand. She was crying. That hand held hers, and Daryl's, many times.

"Merle don't!"

She screamed as more walkers approached the door. They wanted in.

"Hang on, lil sister"

"Merle hurry!"

Then his hand dropped to the ground.

"C'mon, help your brother out the back"

She ran over to Merle with a brief stop ripping off her necklace and leaving it for Daryl on the pipe. She remembered the day that she got the necklace before she went under Merle's arm, she missed that day.

* * *

She had just urned three. Daryl was thirteen. Merle, twenty-five. Their daddy was out at a bar. Sedey and Daryl were waiting for Merle to get back. She was really hyper. Daryl got her some candy that morning. Every ten minutes.

"Is he here yet? Is he here yet?"

She was jumping on the couch.

"C'mon offa there"

Daryl went behind the couch and picked her up off of it. Then she heard the screen door open and jumped out of Daryl's arms and back onto the couch.

"He's here! He's here!"

Then Merle came in "Hey, happy birthday kiddo"

She went back on top of the couch armrest. Merle picked her up. Daryl spoke up, "Merle" He whistled at him. Merle nodded.

"Guess how old I am today!"

"Um, twenty-seven?"

They were walking into the kitchen. He set Sedey down on the table. "No, it's your job to be old"

Daryl burst out laughing. Merle, smiling, went over to Daryl to show him something. He nodded. Then they walked over to her. She was still just standing on the table. Merle pulled out a small box that held a small heart shaped necklace. It had an inscription on it, but Sedey was only three so she couldn't read it. Daryl hopped on the table, necklace in hand, he put it on her. Then pulled her onto his lap.

"It says baby sister"

Then Merle walked over to the counter and handed her the box that it came in.

"So you know you always got someone watching over you" He kissed the top of her head.

"C'mon lets go play tag" They both grabbed a hand and they went outside.

* * *

She was sobbing as they left the necklace there. But she had Merle so she guessed she would be ok. They went into what looked like a small kitchen. Merle turned on the stove and he cauterized his wound. So she just sat there and waited for him to finish.


	4. Chapter 4

Carol was pulling Daryl behind her. They shoved through the group and went straight into his room. She knelt in the corner that she found the book in. She peeled back the wallpaper and there it was, right where she left it. She handed it to him. His face went cold, he remembered the book. He flipped through it, smiling at one page...Then he left, upset. She picked up the book, the page started on Daryl's third birthday.

* * *

_Daryl was jumping around, really hyper. I gave him candy earlier this morning. He just turned three. I was simply smiling every time he asked for Merle. Merle was fifteen and off with his friends. Their father was out getting drunk with his friends, at least he wasnt in the house today. He didnt come back for two weeks after. Daryl ran into the kitchen and for the millionth time asked_

_"Is Merle here?"_

_"No sweetie, I dont know if he's coming at all"_

_He heard a noise and was off at the door trying to see him come in. But of course he wasnt there. So Daryl sullked back into the kitchen._

_"Is he coming?"_

_I stopped what I was doing "Oh baby, You have to realize that Merle is a teenager, and teenagers save all their time for their friends. He probably wont get back for a few weeks, after his "outing""_

_I turned back to him, there were tears in his eyes. Then I realized what I just said to him. I tried to speak, to make it better._

_"Daryl"_

_But he already ran, went straight to his room sobbing. I just stood there. I felt awful. I pretty much just told him that his own brother didnt love him, or want to spend time with him. I went into their room, Daryl;s bunk was empty. Their fort was collapsed, just how their dad left it. He smashed it one night when he was drunk. It leads into the closet, so I peeked in, no Daryl. Then I turned around, he was on Merle's bunk. He cried himself to sleep. He did that alot, sometimes its all he could do to get to sleep at night. But last night he was so excited he didnt get any sleep. He really thought Merle was coming. I shook him awake and he started to cry again. _

_"Baby Merle could still show up, you still got twelve hours left of your birthday."_

_I gave up, he was shaking, which meant there was no turning back, he was really crying. Then he stopped moving, I stopped rubbing his back. I thought he died. "Daryl"_

_He jumped up. "Hey want me to make you some cake?"_

_His eyes lit up, he rubbed them, then he nodded. "Ok c'mon"_

_I pulled him down and took him by the hand into the kitchen. He hopped up on the table, sat there for a while. While the cake was baking I made frosting. I was pouring a little bit of it into another bowl so Daryl could have the rest. Then his head popped up. The screen door was opening. Merle actually came. Daryl jumped off the table and ran without stopping, to the door. Merle threw his bags to the side. Daryl ran into his arms._

_"Hey kiddo"_

_I went into the hallway, then I saw them like that which put a smile on my face. _

_"What ya makin'"_

_"Cake"_

_I went back in the kitchen, they followed, looking temptingly at the bowl. I held it out to them. "Take it"_

_They took it then Merle grabbed a spoon, meaning Daryl was going to use his hands. I tried to ice the cake, but I gave the boys too much, so I just made it really thin. I went to the door to watch them, Merle gave Daryl something shiny. I didnt know what it was, but it choked me up. I went into my room and I fell asleep. I woke up at about 10:30 at night. I went in the boys' room. Daryl was tucked in bed, in his own bunk. Merle tucked him in. I could tell. When he tucked himself in, he would literally get in a tangled mess in the blankets. I went in the living room to see Merle on the couch._

_"Hey baby"_

_"Oh, hey ma"_

_"You tuck Daryl in?"_

_"Yeah, howd you know?"_

_"I'm your mother I know shit" He smiled "You gave him somethin'"_

_"Yeah...and"_

_"What was it?"_

_"I thought you knew shit"_

_I sighed "Yeah well I'm not phsycic"_

_"It was a thing"_

_"Duh"_

_"For his birthday"_

_"He was really upset cuz he thought you werent comin"_

_"Well what ya tell him?"_

_"You werent comin..I made him cry"_

_"Well what a wonderful mother you are" He got up "Ima get some sleep, leave you with your thoughts" He went down the hall "Night ma"_

_I hugged the pillow. That was the first and last time I ever had a real conversation with Merle._

* * *

Daryl flipped over the silver keychain. On the back it had their initials. D.M On the front it said "My brother's keeper" He tried not to cry. He was leaning on the trailor they found on the highway. We'll he found it, so it was his technically. It was small but they hooked it to the back of T-dog's truck. He pulled out Sedey's neclace, he found it on the roof in Atlanta. To him it was a sign that she was still alive. He held the little silver heart in his hand. It said baby sister on it. He remembered how jumpy she was for Merle when she turned three just as he was. The back had all three of their initials. D.M.S. Then all of a sudden Daryl couldnt breathe. He could be crying, but even he couldnt tell. His head was spinning. He held his head in his hands and dug his hands in his hair. Carol came and sat next to him. She pulled both chains out of his hands.

"This is what Merle gave you when you were three"

"Hm hmm"

"What about this one?"

"The one we gave Sedey"

"Oh, I can kinda remember her wearing one"

He looked her in the eyes. One of her hands rose to his cheek, she kissed the other.

"Sophia's sick"

"What do you mean sick?"

"I mean she has a fever"

He looked at her. His heart sank into his stomach.

"Not a bite, just a normal fever"

He relaxed a little "Did I ever tell you how I miraculously healed Sedey when she was five?"

"No" She smiled "Tell me"


End file.
